Hydrophobia
by adpi24
Summary: COMPLETE. N/S. An accident is the catalyst for feelings to be revealed. Rating might be high, but better safe than sorry. Please R & R.


Hydrophobia  
  
Disclaimer: don't own anything  
  
AN: hydrophobia means fear of water. Title will be explained in the story.  
  
Also, I found this phobia while searching a website that lists phobias, I had to share. Now I mean no offense to anyone who suffers from this phobia, I just thought the name was cool.  
  
Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia- fear of long words  
  
I feel for anyone who suffers from this phobia and then has to say this name. Wow.  
  
Okay, this story is based off a challenge that was posted by my fellow Nick and Sara shippers. Enjoy. I also decided to make it a little more serious because another person's response was humorous.  
  
*~*~*  
  
It was an extremely slow night at the crime lab. So far there had only been one case and Grissom assigned Warrick and Catherine to it, leaving Nick and Sara to fend for themselves to keep boredom from eating them alive. They had each already drank two cups of coffee, so they were pretty wired.  
  
Sara looked at here watch 2:15am, "God we have another 5 hours before we get off work" she whined to Nick  
  
Nick chuckled at her whining. He literally felt her pain; he was bored out of his mind too. He would give anything to be doing something, even if it was paperwork, but they had finished all that hours ago. He was just about to suggest a topic of conversation when Grissom came bustling into the break room.  
  
"Nick, Sara. I have a case for you. Drowning at the Mirage." He said and handed the Nick the assignment.  
  
"Aren't pools usually closed at this time?" Sara asked  
  
"I guess the Mirage allows their guests to use the pool whenever."  
  
"Hey Griss, aren't you coming with?" Nick asked as Grissom left the room.  
  
"No sorry, just you two." He said and left the room.  
  
Nick looked over at Sara with a curious expression to his face, she glanced back and him and smiled.  
  
"Ready" she asked  
  
"Yeah, but I'm driving" Nick replied  
  
*~*~*  
  
The drive to The Mirage wasn't bad. Nick kept glancing over at Sara. He had started developing more than brotherly feelings for her the last couple of months. They really hit him head on after the explosion at the lab. But he was afraid to do anything. He didn't want to ruin their friendship and he knew that she was hung up on Grissom. He just wished that she would get over her Grissom infatuation.  
  
Sara felt Nick staring at her. She had always been attracted to Nick, but she felt she was in love with Grissom and that Grissom was in love with her. She couldn't have been more wrong. After the explosion, she really felt that she should do something about Grissom. That was so stupid of her. Him turning her down was a smack in the face. It made her realize that he didn't care about her the same way she thought she cared about him.  
  
During these last couple of months though her feelings for Nick had slowly began to change. They started getting assigned more cases together, hanging out after work or on their days off. She was falling in love with him. Not just any kind of love, the head over heels, I can't live without you kind of love. But she was scared. She was scared to admit her feelings to Nick. She was terrified that their relationship, their friendship would be ruined. She wasn't willing to risk her friendship with him. She'd rather have him as a friend than not have him at all.  
  
Nick pulled his Tahoe into The Mirage parking lot. He and Sara jumped out of the vehicle and grabbed their kits. They headed towards the entrance where the cops were. They saw Brass waiting for them.  
  
"Hey Brass" Nick called out  
  
"Nick, Sara" Brass said, Sara nodded her acknowledgement. "Vic's in the pool"  
  
Brass led them through the casino and to the pool.  
  
"Don't have an id yet. Coroners on the way, David I believe."  
  
"Yeah, Al's on an autopsy right now" Sara stated  
  
"Okay, I'm going to go speak to the hotel manager again. I'm going to leave a cop at the doors"  
  
"Thanks Brass" Nick called out.  
  
He and Sara each pulled out a flashlight and gloves. They each set apart collecting evidence. Nick was taking pictures, while Sara was searching around the pool and its vicinity.  
  
As they were working Nick noticed that Sara was staying quite a distance away from the pool.  
  
"Sara you okay?"  
  
She stopped what she was doing and looked up at Nick, a confused look on her face. "What do you mean?"  
  
"Well you're staying quite a distance away from the pool. What's going on?"  
  
Sara sighed and sat down on one of the chairs that surrounded the pool. Nick walked over and sat down on the chair next to her.  
  
"This is embarrassing" Sara started "but I'm slightly hydrophobic"  
  
"Hydrophobic. You're scared of water?"  
  
"Well yes and no"  
  
"Which is it Sara?"  
  
"I mean I'm not because I take showers and I'm fine, but I'm terrified of water when it comes to pools"  
  
"What happened Sara?" Nick asked softly  
  
She took a deep breath, "I was 8. I never learned how to swim. It wasn't that big of a deal to me." She paused before continuing "Anyways, my parents and I went to Disneyland for vacation. My mom and I were out by the pool. She left because she forgot something in the room and I stayed down there by myself. I was playing with some other children and I was accidentally pushed into the pool. I..I.uh.I almost drowned. I was underwater for a couple of minutes before an adult finally realized something was wrong. I was so mad at my mom for the longest time because she wasn't there to protect me and to save me. So needless to say, I'm not a big pool fan anymore"  
  
Nick reached over and put his arm around her shoulders. "I'll protect you Sara" Nick whispered into her ear. He gave a smile and a kiss on the cheek before getting up and setting back to work.  
  
Sara smiled at his words and went back to work.  
  
*~*~* 2 hours later  
  
Nick and Sara had found out the victim was Denise Ridley, 32. She was her with her girlfriends. David came and took the body, leaving Nick and Sara to finish up their work.  
  
Nick was over near the entrance speaking to Brass. Sara was now standing near the deep end of the pool, where the diving board was. She shined her flashlight down and noticed a chip at the edge of the pool, with some blood. She grabbed a swab to gather the evidence. She must have stood up too quickly because she lost her balance and fell backwards into the pool, screaming.  
  
"Ahhhhhhh"  
  
Nick and Brass immediately stopped talking and ran over to the pool  
  
"SARA!!!!" Nick screamed.  
  
"Sara" Brass called out  
  
Nick saw it. She was struggling under the water, without even thinking he dove in.  
  
Brass turned to his officer who was still standing at the entrance and yelled "Get the paramedics, NOW!!!!"  
  
Nick reached Sara's body quickly. He saw the fear in her eyes. He quickly grabbed her body and pulled her up, plunging them through the surface of the water. He became concerned when Sara didn't take a breath of air.  
  
"Nick over here" Brass called out  
  
Nick pushed himself and Sara to where Brass and now two EMT's were waiting. They pulled Sara out first, followed by Nick. One of the EMT's quickly began CPR on Sara, after only a few breaths, water came pouring out of Sara's mouth and she began gasping for air.  
  
Nick pushed his way over to Sara. He lifted her body up and laid her chest against his, holding her tightly.  
  
"Sara, baby. It's okay, just breathe" Nick whispered. He then looked up at the EMT's "Thanks. How did you guys get here so quick"  
  
"We happened to be on another call and were just leaving when Officer Wilson found us" one man said pointing to the officer who had been standing watch for them all night  
  
The EMT's quickly left. Brass came over and handed Nick a blanket. "I've called Grissom, he's on the way"  
  
"Thanks"  
  
Brass walked away, leaving Sara and Nick alone  
  
"Sara, honey, let me wrap this blanket around you"  
  
Sara nodded through her shivering, "Nicky I was so scared" she whispered  
  
"I know you were. I could see it in your eyes. Hell, I was scared"  
  
"You were"  
  
"God yes Sara. When I heard you scream I was terrified and then seeing you under the water. I just jumped in, didn't even think. I just knew that I had to save you. I love you so much Sara, I don't know what I would have done" Nick finished with tears coming down his face not even registering the shock on Sara's face or his verbalized confession.  
  
Sara was in shock. She had almost died, yet Nick had saved her and now he admitted that he loved her. She was on cloud nine. The man she loved loved her in return.  
  
Suddenly it came crashing onto Nick; he had just told Sara he loved her.  
  
"I love you too Nicky" Sara said and brought her face up to his and gave him a kiss. The kiss was sweet and full of promise. They broke apart after a moment and they searched each other faces, finding no apprehension in each others face, they leaned towards each other again and captured their lips in a searing, passionate kiss. They were so wrapped up in each other that they didn't notice Grissom show up with Warrick right behind him.  
  
Grissom cleared his throat and Sara and Nick broke apart, breathless and embarrassed.  
  
"Nick, Sara, take the rest of the night off. I don't expect to see you until your next shift, which if I remember correctly is tomorrow night" Grissom said and turned to speak to Brass  
  
"You okay Sara?" Warrick asked  
  
"Yeah" she said and smiled at Nick "Nicky saved me, so I couldn't be any better"  
  
Warrick smiled at the newfound couple and left.  
  
"Nicky"  
  
"Yeah" "Let's get out of here"  
  
"Okay"  
  
Nick helped Sara up and they headed out of the hotel and back to his Tahoe. He helped her into the vehicle and then went to his side and started the engine.  
  
"Okay, I'm gonna drop you off at your apartment" Nick said as he pulled the Tahoe out onto the somewhat deserted street.  
  
"No"  
  
"No"  
  
"Yeah, I don't want to go to my apartment. I want to be with you. So I'm going home with you" Sara said  
  
Knowing the hidden meaning behind her words, Nick turned and looked at Sara "Are you sure Sara?"  
  
"Never more sure of anything. I love you Nick, so much"  
  
"I love you too Sara, I love you too"  
  
Nick made a u-turn and headed towards his apartment. He took Sara's left hand into his right one and squeezed it. He knew from this moment on that they would be together. He was sure of it, and he couldn't be happier.  
  
Sara turned and smiled at Nick. She was so happy that they had admitted their feeling for one another. Who knew that an accident would be the catalyst for them sharing their true feelings? She was terrified that she almost drowned, but she wouldn't change the outcome for anything in the world. She loved the man sitting next to her and he loved her. What's better than that?  
  
Nothing  
  
*~*~*  
  
Okay, kind of fluffy, kind of serious. But hell it was fun to right. He he. Thank you to my fellow 'Snickers' (LOL I LOVE THAT NAME) for the idea. 


End file.
